Chris Christie Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory

The darkening days of Fall portend dark days politically for Chris Christie and Republicans across the the People’s State of New Jersey. His 14-point lead over incumbent Democrat failure Jon Corzine has diminished to a margin-of-error polling situation. Why?

As Peter Ferrara writes Christie has run a “content-free campaign” and echoes the Wall Street Journal‘s idea that “if Mr. Christie ekes out a win because Mr. Corzine is so unpopular, the Republican will arrive in Trenton with a mandate to do what he campaigned on — nothing.” Christie throws a fit over a third-party candidate who has a specific and conservative economic plan for New Jersey (socially he’s a consistent lefty), but Christie offers few meaningful specifics and refuses to steal some of Independent Chris Daggett’s better economic ideas and claim them as his own!

Ferrara says that this is indicative of the two wings of the Republican Party: the Reagan Republicans looking for a third party half the time, and the McCain-Democrat Republicans (no explanation needed). Reagan Republicans are poised to take over the party, but somehow can’t get organized. Christie is likely to blow this election because he’s not conservative enough to offer a distinct alternative to Corzine in the minds of undecided voters. I voted for the much more conservative Steve Lonegan in the primaries because of this very issue. All may not be lost, but conservatism contrasted along liberalism will win every time in today’s political environment. Now somebody please tell Chris Christie before this thing gets out of hand!